Outdoor switch box



INVENTOR j??? B AToRNEY Aug- 16 1932- H. G. NlcHoLs OUTDOOR SWITCH BOX Filed May 15. 1929 7:1. Il vll l LIP/415154 rrifflrf/lllla/lllft ,//4 711,

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 ,e UNITED STATES PATENT, vOFF-lor.

` HENRY C. NICiIoLsoP ivrANsPIELnonIO, AssIGNOR To wEsTINGIIoUsE ELECTRIC &

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR SWITCH v'Rox Application med May 13,

My invention relates to switch boxes and particularly to boxes for enclosing switches that are located exteriorly of buildings and c are subjected to atmospheric conditions, such as rain,'sleet and-snow. y

An object of my invention is to provide an outdoor box for containing-electrical apparatus that is rain-proof and is designed to A c readily shed water so that it may dry quick- 1U ly.

Another object of my invention'is to provide an out-door box for electrical devices that may be made of va single sheet of metal and be provided with a door particularlydesigned to shed water and preventwmoisture from entering the box. j j c These and other objects that will be made apparent throughout the further description of my invention are obtained by'mea'ns ofthe switch-box apparatus hereinafter de.l scribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein y Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a switch box embodying features of my invention; j

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throught'he switch box, taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1; v i y Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the switch box, taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2; and i 1 Fig. l is a detail view, in section, of a modified arrangement for holding the cover on y the switch box. n 1

Referring to the drawing, the switch box comprises a box structure, five walls of which are formed from a single piece of sheet metal so shaped and bent as to provide a rear wall 4 4, side walls 5 and 6, a top wall 7 and a bottom wall 8. The side walls are formed in the shape of a parallelogram, with the top and bottomedges sloping downward toward the front edge of the side walls. The top 7 is rectangular in shape and is provided with side flanges 9 which overlap `the upper sloping edges of the side wall ontheouter sides thereof in such manner that any water :talling upon the top wall will be deflected to the outer surfaces of the rside walls. ,The

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front edge ot the top wall 7 is provided with adepending flange 12.

The bottom wall '8 is'providedwith side flanges 13 which overlap the side walls 5 and- 7' on the inner sides of the sidewalls, as indicated intFigs. 2 and 3. By season of this construction, water running down the outer surface of the sidewalls falls OE at the bottom edge and cannot enter the interior ofthe box, since the .flanges 13 are disposed interiorly of the box.. Thebottom wall 8 is also provided with a portion .14that extends beyond the front edges of 'the side walls, as indicated in Figs-1 and 2, the extended portion being in the'same plane as the main portion of the bottom wall. 'y

,A sheet-metal door 15 is pivotally supported by hinges 16, the straps of which are riveted to the flange 1:2 and the upper portion of the door which is supportedin such manner that its upper edge lies interiorly of the flange 12 in order to shed water falling upon the top wall 7 and prevent it from'entering the interior of the housing. Theside edges of the door 15 are provided with flanges 17 that overlap the front edges of the side walls on the'outer sides of the side walls and thus prevent .rain water blowing against the cover or anges thereofffrom entering the interior kof the box.

- It will be obvious, however, that the hinges 16 maybe dispensed with if desired, the cover 15 extending upward inside the flange 12, and being held in place thereby, the latterl `being slanted downward and outward slightly from the vertical to permit the cover 15 to vslip out readily when being removed. Fig. lshows this arrangement..

VIy The cover is designed to swing outwardly about a horizontal axis, and the lower edge thereof is provided with an outwardly extending lange 18 that engages the extending portion ,14 of the bottom wall, as indicated in Fig. 2, when the cover is in closed position. vThe iange 18 and the extending portionll of the bottom `wall are provided with registering openings 19 and 21, respectively, for receiving the wire 22 of a seal 23 for preventing access to the interior of the box by unauthorized persons.

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A latch 24 is pivoted to the side wall 6 of the box and is operated by an exteriorly extending shaft 27 and a handle 28 to engage the latch plate 29 on the inner face of the door and serve Vto latch the door in closed position.

As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown a two-pole knife switch mounted in the housing, the switch comprising the insulating i base 31 provided with hinge jaws 32-andf The switch blade 34 is hinged to the jaws 32 and is provided with an Y insulating handle 35. The jaws 32 vand '33 contact jaws 83;'

are provided with terminals `36 to which conductors (not shown) may be connected. The topY and bottom walls are provided with outwardly extending bosses 37 having surfaces .38 extending in planes normal to that of the rear .wall 4 and parallel to each other.

These surfacesare provided with -knockouts 39` of the usual construction which maybe knocked out when-desired to provide openings for receiving wiring conduit (not shown). The'side walls 5 and Glare also provided/with'lmockouts 41 which `may be removed to provide openings for receiving the conduitat the sides of thehousing when desirable.

It will be apparent'from the foregoing that a rain-proof housing is provided that may be readily formed of sheet metal and be effective for the purpose intended and relatively inexpensive.

Y VVhiIe `I have illustrated but one embodi-` ment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions and omissionsmay be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the `top and bottom walls sloping downward toward the front thereof, the top wall being provided with a flange depending from the front edge thereof and the bottom wall having a portion projecting forwardly beyond the front edges of the side walls, and 'a cover having its upper edges extending beneath the flange on the top wall and provided with sideflanges overlapping the side walls ofthe box anda bottom flange projecting forwardly for engaging the said portion of the' bottom wall.

3. A 4box forfelectrical: devices having its top and bottom walls sloping downward toward the front thereof, the top wall being provided, at its front edge, with a depending flange, and the bottom wall being provided with a portion extendingV beyond the side walls of the boxand a door for the box hinged thereto and having a portion adjacent the hinge overlapping the said flange in the inside thereof and a flange adjacent to the free edge thereof for engaging the extending portion of the bottom wall.

t. A box for electrical devices having its top and bottom walls sloping downward toward the front thereof, the top wall being provided, at its front edge, with a depending flange,; and the bottom wall beingprovided with a portion extending beyond the side walls of thebox and a door for the box hinged thereto and having a portion adjacent the hinge overlapping the said flange on the inside thereof and a flange adjacent to the free edge thereof for engaging the extending portion of the bottom wall and a sealing Vmeans on the door flange and the extending portion.

5. A box for electrical devices comprising a box havingrear, side, top and bottoni walls made from a-single sheet of metal bent to bring the side walls into cooperative relation with the top and bottom walls, the top wall being provided with two side flanges overlapping the outside walls on the outer sides thereof and the bottom wall being provided with two side flanges overlapping the side walls on the inner sides thereof, whereby the box is adapted to shed rain without directingwater to the interior of the housing.

V6. A box for electrical devicescomprising a box having rear, side, top and bottom walls made from a single sheet of metal bent to bring the side walls into cooperative relation with the top .and bottom walls, the top Ywallvbeing provided ywith two side flanges overlapping the outside walls on the outer sides thereof and the bottom walls `being provided with two side flanges overlapping' the side walls on the inner sides thereof, whereby the box is adapted to shed rain without directing water to the interior of the housing, the front edge of the top being provided with a depending flange, and a door for the box mounted thereon for rotation about a horizontal axis adjacent the depending flange and having a portion overlapping the last said flange on the inside thereof and side flanges overlapping the side walls on the outer side thereof.

7. A box for electrical devices comprising a box having rear, side, top and bottom walls made from a single sheet of metal bent to bring the side walls into cooperative relation with the top and bottom walls, the top wall sloping downward toward the front and beingV provided with two side flanges overlapping the outside Vwalls on the outer sides thereof and the bottom wall sloping downward toward the front and being provided with two side fianges overlapping the side walls on the inner sides thereof, whereby the box is adapted to shed rain without directing water to the interior of the housing.

8. A rain-proof box for electrical devices comprising a box having sidewalls in the form of a parallelogram and end walls cooperating therewith and one of said end walls sloping downward toward the front of the box to readily shed water, and having an outwardly extending boss having a surface normal to the plane of the rear wall provided with means for receiving wiring conduit.

9. A box for electrical devices having its top wall sloping downwardly toward the front thereof and provided with a flange depending from the front edge thereof and a movable cover for the front of said box hinged to said flange and having its upper edge extending beneath said flange.

10. A box for electrical devices having its top wall sloping downwardly and provided with a flange depending from the lowerinost edge of said top wall and a movable Cover hinged to said flange and having its upper edge extending beneath said flange and having side flanges overlapping the side walls of the box.

11. A box for electrical devices having its top wall provided with a depending flange and its bottom wall having a portion projecting forwardly beyond the front edges of the side walls, and a cover having its upper edge extending beneath the flange on the top wall and having a bottom flange projecting forwardly for engaging the projecting portion of the bottom wall.

l2. A box for electrical devices having its top wall provided with a depending flange and its bottom wall having a portion projecting forwardly beyond the front edges of the side walls, and a cover having its upper edge extending beneath the flange on the top wall and having a bottom flange projecting forwardly for engaging the projecting portion of the bottom wall and having side fianges overlapping the side walls of the box.

ln testimony whereof7 I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of May, 1929.

HENRY Gr. NICHOLS. 

